Telephone-transmitter attachment.



PATENTBD JUNE12, 1906.

R. A. WALTON.'

TELEPHONE TRANSMITTER ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED J' ULY 25,1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrron ROBERT A. WALTON, OF LOS ANG'ELES, CALIFORNIA.

TELEPHONE-TRANSMITTER ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed July 25,1905. Serial No. 271,232.

. the transmitter temporarily inoperative at certain intervals during a conversationl It is frequently desired by those using the telephone to converse with others in the ofiice relative to certain matters and oftentimes it is not desired to have the person at the other end of the line overhear the conversation carried on in the oifice. Under these conditions the person speaking does not desire to return the receiver to the hook, for the reason that the line would then be cut off. In cases where it is found desirable to close the transmitter all that can be done is to hold the hand over the transmitter mouthpiece, which is not only extremely inconvenient, but oftentimes fails to accomplish the object. It is the purpose of this invention to overcome these defects, and'to this endI have provided mechanical means the insertion of which against or between the microphone renders the transmitter temporarily inoperative. I attain these objects by the device described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in 'Which Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a telephone-transmitter, showing my device in place therein. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my device detached from the transmitter. Fig. 3 is a modified form of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, 4 represents the transmitter-mouthpiece having the usual screen 5 in place therein. Instead of attaching the mouthpiece directly to the transmitter I have provided a circular detachable extension 6, preferably made of the same material as the mouthpiece. This extension is threaded externally at its inner end, as at 7, and adapted tobe screwed into the screw-threaded aperture in the face-plate of the transmitter. The outer end of this extension-sleeve is internally threaded, as at 8, into which the mouthpiece 4 is screwed. By

providing an extension of the same diameter and the threadin thereon uniform with the mouthpiece it wi 1 be seen that It can readily attach the extension tothe transmitter of any telephone without alterations of any kind.' Mounted in this extension is the dampening-disk 9, which is secured eccentrically on the shaft 10. This disk when rotated is brought into contact with the rivethead 11, which rivet serves to hold the contact-disk of the microphone in place in the' granular-carbon microphone 12; The shaft 10 has on its outer end a knurled head 13 and a shoulder 14. Onthe inside of the exten-..

sion 6 and on the shaft is mounted the collar 15, which is provided with a set-screwwvhich serves to hold the shaft firmly in place in its bearing. v

In Fig. 3 I have shown another form of my invention, and in this instance insteadof thedetachable extension 6 I apply the dampen ing means directly to the inside of screen in the transmitter-mouthpiece 4. This means consists in this instance of a lug 16, made of any suitable material, and is adapted to contact with the rivet-head 11 of the contact-disk of the microphone.

In operation when it is desired to temporarily out out the transmitter-line during a convertation the operator simply turns the knurled head 13 of the shaft 10, whichrotates the disk 9 and brings it into engagement with the rivet-head 11 on diaphragm 17. The bringing into engagement of the disk 9 with the rivet on the diaphragm serves to force or pack the granular carbon in the microphone, and thus prevents it from responding to the vibrations of sounds entering the transmitter, rendering it temporarily inoperative. In the modification shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the mouthpiece of the transmitter is normally slightly unscrewed, and when it is desired to render the transmitter inoperative it is screwed tightly in place, forcing the lug 16 into engagement with the rivet-head onthe diaphragm 17, thus performing exactly the into engagement with the vibratory dia-.

phragm of the transmitter.

2. In a device of the character-herein described, an extension sleeve mounted between the face of the transmitter and the mouthpiece and having means mounted therein to dampen the vibrations of the transinitterdiaphragm.

3. In a device of the character herein described, a detachable extension-sleeve mounted between the face of the transmitter and the mouthpiece, having means mounted therein to dampen the vibrations of the transmitter-diaphragm comprising a disk secured eccentrically on a shaft mounted in said extensionsleev'e, said shaft projecting outside of said extension-sleeve and means secured to the outer end of said shaft whereby it may be rotated.

at. In a device of the character herein described, a detachable extension-sleeve thread ed at opposite ends, said extension-sleeve mounted between the face of thetransmitter and the mouthpiece, and means mounted mitter-microphone comprising a disk secured eccentrically on a shaft mounted in said 7 extension-sleeve, said shaft projecting outside of said sleeve and means secured to the outer end of said shaftwhereby it may be rotated.

5. A telephonetransmitter attachment adapted to retard the vibrations of a trans nutter-diaphragm; comprising a disk secured eccentrically on a rotatable shaft and adapted to be rotated to bear against the microphone to render said microphone inoperative. In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th day of July, 1905.

ROBERT A. WALTON.

Witnesses:

EDMUND A, STRAUsE, I MARGARETE O. NICKELESON. 

